Elon Musk recently sat down with Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, in what’s being described as an effort to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington, according to The New York Times.
The meeting, which lasted over an hour and took place in secrecy on Monday, was deemed “positive” by two Iranian officials. Despite the high-profile nature of the meeting, neither Trump’s team nor Iran’s UN mission confirmed it.
Musk, who once fervently supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, seems to have found himself in an even more influential position, especially after his recent assignment to tackle federal waste. The encounter with Iravani may have provided Iran with a diplomatic workaround, as Musk doesn’t hold an official position in the U.S. administration, allowing Iran to avoid direct talks with an American official.
The meeting also raises questions about Trump’s stance on Iran. While he previously abandoned the nuclear deal and pursued a hardline approach with his “maximum pressure” strategy, the meeting could signal a shift toward diplomacy. Trump’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been involved in military actions against Iran and Hamas, adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
In another related development, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, considered a moderate, told the head of the UN nuclear watchdog that Tehran aims to clarify doubts regarding the “peaceful” nature of its nuclear program.
